Effect of sample size on kinetic parameters of roughage and concentrated feeds by a semi-automated in vitro gas production system

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different amounts of incubated samples on the kinetic parameters of in vitro fermentation of roughage and concentrated food used for feeding ruminants. Samples were prepared using 200, 300, 400, and 500 mg of air-dried roughage and concentrated sample, ground to 1 mm, and placed in 120 mL glass flasks. Next, inoculum and McDougal solution were added, and the readings were obtained using a semi-automated pressure transducer up to 96 h after the beginning of the incubations. Gas production of the non-fibrous fraction increased linearly (P < 0.05) for sugarcane, Marandu grass silage, corn silage, dried corn distillers’ grains with solubles, dried brewer’s yeast, bean residue, wet brewer’s grains, sunflower meal, and Jatropha meal; quadratically (P < 0.05) for Napier grass silage and cottonseed meal; and cubically (P < 0.05) for castor meal and soybean meal. The degradation rate of the non-fibrous fraction reduced linearly (P < 0.05) for sugarcane, Napier grass silage, and castor meal; quadratically (P < 0.05) for Marandu grass silage; and cubically (P < 0.05) for corn silage, soybean meal, dried corn distillers’ grains with solubles, bean residue, and cottonseed meal. Gas production of the fibrous fraction increased linearly (P < 0.05) for Napier grass silage, Marandu grass silage, corn silage, dried corn distillers’ grains with solubles, bean residue, wet brewer’s grain, cottonseed meal, and sunflower meal; quadratically ( < 0.05) for Jatropha meal; and cubically (P < 0.05) for sugarcane, castor meal, and soybean meal. The degradation rate of the fibrous fraction increased linearly (P < 0.05) for Napier grass silage, dried corn distillers’ grains with solubles, dried brewer’s yeast, wet brewer’s grains; quadratically (P < 0.05) for corn silage and castor meal; and cubically (P < 0.05) for sugarcane, Marandu grass silage, and bean residue. The lag time reduced linearly (P < 0.05) for castor meal and dried corn distillers’ grains with solubles; quadratically (P < 0.05) for Napier grass silage; and cubically (P < 0.05) for sugarcane, Marandu grass silage, corn silage, soybean meal, bean residue, cottonseed meal, sunflower meal, and Jatropha meal. Thus, our findings suggest that the kinetic parameters of in vitro fermentation were affected as a function of the amount of incubated sample.